Wednesday, February 17, 2010

I admit it- I am sucker when it comes to sappy sad movies. I am pathetic, especially when it comes to seeing a child crying about something truly sad such as the loss of a parent or something similar. I cry when the characters are sad and I even get teary when they are happy if the movie is a good one. There are several movies that have been out some time I have avoided almost certainly because I know they could potentially have me in tears. Depending on how you feel about crying (I happen to think that sometimes it is a good thing and you just need to once in awhile) I would/would not recommend going to see the following two movies any time soon.

I should mention that I actually liked them both a great deal, but, as previously stated, they are emotional. The one I would recommend in any case is Extraordinary Measures. It is currently in theaters and stars Brandon Fraser, Harrison Ford and Keri Russell. The movie is based GeetaAnand's book, The Cure, which is a true story from about a family with two kinds that have Pompe disease. I won't ruin it for you, but, the whole movie is very inspiring, but, of course there are some tears to be shed; both happy and sad. Harrison Ford was better than I have seen him in awhile.

This past weekend my husband was nice enough to rent The Time Traveler's Wife for Valentines Day. Both he and I liked the storyline a great deal because it made you think about what your own life would be like if you could travel that way or know what would happen in the future. The only hard part was when they were trying to have a child. If you are trying and there is even the slightest chance you might not be able to have a child, this could be a little hard for you to watch. Needless to say, by the end of the movie I was in tears. At least I know I won't have the obstacle of a baby who is time traveling out of the womb. Regardless, I was still happy my husband is willing to view such films with me on occasion and he is even willing to lend a shoulder if necessary. For this, I am grateful.

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Long time, no see! I have neglected my blogging duties terribly these last several months. Thanks to Sue and Kari for keeping things alive and kicking around here! I was really overwhelmed by the holiday season this year. Trying to keep myself organized with getting ready for Christmas and ending the semester at two schools which I work at part-time really did me in. And just when the new year arrived and things should have settled down, my son turned 5 and there were more presents to buy and celebrations to plan. When I finally came up for air, my semester at the community college started again and so I dove right back into syllabi, lesson planning, and teaching. Whew!

It doesn't stop there. On Sunday, my son got a big Valentine's Day surprise. A new dog! His name is Carlisle. He's a poodle-terrier mix whom we purchased from the Poodle Rescue of Houston. So far, we are already reaping the many benefits of having a dog in the family. Our exercise routine went up a notch immediately! We are taking at least two walks a day with Carlisle in addition to some pretty active playtime with him indoors as well. My son has enthusiastically taken several chores upon himself: feeding Carlisle and holding onto his leash for much of the time that we walk him. Valuable lessons concerning responsibility are being learned. We are also simply enjoying laughing and playing together with our new addition to the family!

Here is a picture taken on Valentine's Day of me with Carlisle at the shelter when I picked him up to bring him home.

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

I've had two really nice weekends the past two weeks. This past weekend a good number of my mother's family got together for the first time ages. My crazy uncle Fred had his living room filled with an inflatable palm tree and tropical animals that included a shark, a crab, an octopus and parrot. The house was nearly filled to capacity and we had a blast. It made me miss the old days when we used to get together more often. Some of the people who were there I hadn't seen since my wedding nearly four years ago and that is truly sad. Before the day was through my uncle and all of the children donned hula skirts and he went so far as to add a sea shell bra. Sorry I don't have the photos to share, but, when I do, I will be posting them on Facebook. I am hoping this past weekend was a turning point for our family since we did have such a nice time, perhaps, we will do it more often.

After leaving my uncles, I drove home to Chicago to find my husband had cleaned our apartment like a mad man in my absense. Not only had he done the dishes and took out the garbage, but, he did loads and loads of laundry, straightened up the living room and vacuumed. Needless to say, I was in heaven and told him thank you for the early Valentines gift. I also felt a little guilty about my last blog which I doubt he read. In fact, I am pretty sure he did it all on his own.

The previous weekend my husband and I celebrated two memorable events in our lives. His birthday (Happy 36th hun if you are reading this!) and the anniversary of our very first date. To celebrate, we went to a place called Uncommon Ground that features different musicians on a nightly basis and an excellent menu. The performances are free so long as you eat and drink a minimum of $20 which is a bargain for the Chicago area and the talent is good most of the time. We saw singer, songwriter Lexie Shine whose sound is similar to and nearly as gifted as Melissa Ethridge. Her song "Between You and Me" was a VH1 Song of the Year. Seeing someone who can play music well and enjoys what they do is my most favorite thing in the world. I can't get enough of it.

This time of year is usually a little hard for me since, like most Midwesterners, I get a little depressed that spring is still a couple months away. The past two weeks reminded me that I am truly lucky to have the family and the husband that I have. I hope those of you who read this are just as blessed.

Monday, February 1, 2010

It has happened...already! The other day my youngest daughter said to me:

"Mom, you know, you don't have to walk me to the end of the driveway anymore. I am brave enough to go on my own."

"What??? No way!!"

"If you aren't brave enough, you can watch from the house or the garage."

"What?? No way!!!"

She is in kindergarten, ya'll!! Kindergarten!! I knew this day would come but, I thought I had at least a couple years before THIS would happen!

I am not read for this. I still need the "hand-off". I need to take my baby and look the bus driver in the eye and make small talk and all the while really saying, "I am entrusting my flesh and blood to you now. I relinquish control. Please be careful with my heart."

I cannot and will not do this! I still need the hand-off. And if that means that it takes her a little bit longer to grow up then, so be it. Just give me some time. I will get there. Just not yet...ok?

The Women

Susie is a happily married thriving stay-at-home mom of her 5 and 19-year old daughters, a tireless caretaker of her elderly mother and budding blogger and entrepreneur. You may know her from Susie's Homemade .

Brenda is a mostly stay-at-home mom to her preschool-age son. After twelve years as a high school German teacher, she is now is an adjunct instructor of German at the community college level and also teaches German to six to nine year olds at Houston's German Saturday School, where her son also attends a weekly Kindergarten. She and her husband reside in Tomball, Texas, northwest of Houston. Brenda spends her free time reading, exploring Houston, traveling, and engaging in all things German!

Kari is an instructional designer working on development of online courses for adult education. She and her husband, Ben, live in Chicago where she enjoys taking photos, volunteering, visiting the museums, and exploring the city.

Diane tires of the mundane easily. That's why she got a kickin' job as a journalist, but as a result, she doesn't have time for much else. Despite that, she managed to get married and have a beautiful 4-year-old daughter. She is also pregnant right now. So be nice.